the proteus chapter is perhaps the most incredible thing written in the english language. the way he plays with words is remarkable. then i sort of zothe proteus chapter is perhaps the most incredible thing written in the english language. the way he plays with words is remarkable. then i sort of zoned out and came back to the last chapter - which, if you love molly bloom, is worth it all. also, joyce manages to make one single word SO signficant. it's incredible. (i wrote a final - 15,000 words - on what his use of "yes" means in the last chapter. and it was easy.) ...more

i loved possession so much, but i'm stuck about 3/4ths of the way through this. i simply don't care about these characters or their lives, and i can'ti loved possession so much, but i'm stuck about 3/4ths of the way through this. i simply don't care about these characters or their lives, and i can't figure out why i should. ...more

it's not emma's fault - i actually adore emma bovary. it's just i keep starting from the beginning because i've forgotten what has happened (i know thit's not emma's fault - i actually adore emma bovary. it's just i keep starting from the beginning because i've forgotten what has happened (i know the plot details already, so i can never remember where i actually stopped reading) and so i don't know if i'll ever finish her. too bad. ...more

man, poor tess. why did you have to die that way? though this has been a to-read forever . . . the problem with studying gender history so much. you gman, poor tess. why did you have to die that way? though this has been a to-read forever . . . the problem with studying gender history so much. you get spoiled on all the plots of the really good books. ...more

what i read i liked, i just couldn't find myself caring all that much, at a time when i had too many things on my plate to deal with reading somethingwhat i read i liked, i just couldn't find myself caring all that much, at a time when i had too many things on my plate to deal with reading something for "fun" that i had to work to enjoy. i think i would like it better now, and constantly think of picking it up. i never seem to have time for it though, as it doesn't fit into any of my general areas of interest - it's too thoughtful to be an easy read, it's not factual enough to fulfill my non-fiction-ness, it's not a memoir, and it ain't a trashy thriller. i heard her speak though, and she amazed me, so.

i don't know. i can't really get into it . . . perhaps because my mind isn't willing to think about something that isn't about history or psych righti don't know. i can't really get into it . . . perhaps because my mind isn't willing to think about something that isn't about history or psych right now, or because i'm really disappointed the main character is male - which sounds totally obnoxious, but i loved her female characters in her other books, and i really wanted that combination of strong-fucked-up-stubborn-vulnerable-ness that gruen does so well. maybe she does, maybe jacob turns somewhat sympathetic without being pitying, but right now i'm annoyed with him, and i have too many other things to read. i will pick it up again though. i have to find out what happened to the elephant. ...more

yeah, so i've been stalled on this one for a long time. i've never been huge on sff, but i was branching out. i was really entertained in the beginninyeah, so i've been stalled on this one for a long time. i've never been huge on sff, but i was branching out. i was really entertained in the beginning, but then i got to the crossing of the desert, and after about 50 pages of how rough it was to live in that suit that collected all the water, i kind of gave up. i wanted to skip ahead, but i'm not that kind of girl. ;) i don't know. i do want to finish it, because a lot of my friends have really enjoyed it and it came highly recommended - plus there are more books in the series, and i LOVE series.

so. i don't know. i mean, i can deal with science nonsense to some degree, but i got really tired of it. then i also misplaced the book. hmm. ...more

linder is kind of arrogant, and this book reeks of all the stereotypes of psychoanalysis that i rebel against. however. i do want to finish it - i miglinder is kind of arrogant, and this book reeks of all the stereotypes of psychoanalysis that i rebel against. however. i do want to finish it - i might skip ahead of the first case study that is driving me crazy and move on to another one, but i think i'll take a break and deal with another therapist first. ...more

i don't know if i'll ever finish this book. it was written before most of the revolutionary work on BPD was published, and usually i like seeing how fi don't know if i'll ever finish this book. it was written before most of the revolutionary work on BPD was published, and usually i like seeing how far things have come/changed - treat it kind of like a history project.

but i got really frustrated with the constant stereotypes of the "difficult patient" as always having a personality disorder, and the way these disorders are understood, and the way to deal with it.

i frankly got kind of disgusted that this came from a national organization of such reputable status less than 15 years ago. ...more

so i can't finish this one. i've been reading the teen vampire series out there, but this one bothered me beyond belief - not because of the vampires,so i can't finish this one. i've been reading the teen vampire series out there, but this one bothered me beyond belief - not because of the vampires, or the mythology, or whatever, but the blatant stereotyping and racism and . . . i haven't read text so infused with really offensive characterizations in a long time.

in the end, these are my guilty pleasures, and i was getting no pleasure from reading this, only uncomfortable feelings about how different ethnic groups are portrayed. admittedly, i haven't finished it, so perhaps it redeems itself - and there are at least two more books in the series already out there, but i don't think this one will be for me. ...more

i just can't bring myself to get further into this book. i keep checking it out, with every intention of reading it, but the whole th[update 9/14/09:]

i just can't bring myself to get further into this book. i keep checking it out, with every intention of reading it, but the whole thing strikes way too close to home. also, it makes me sad, because there are some truly great inpatient facilities for people who need help. of course, money and insurance determine who gets to go where, along with the education required to seek those places out.

i think it just reminds me too much of how close we sometimes all are to being in a locked ward, and how much of a relief it was for me to give up my freedom, have someone else make the decisions, tell me when to eat and get my vitals checked. and then, realizing i was getting better because i wanted my days back - i wanted to do things on my own again. even so, leaving was daunting, because the unit was safe.

someday i will finish this. but i don't know if now is the right time, is all. i guess it speaks to her writing and experience that it so much reminds me of certain things i can't really read it.

i started getting really confused. i admit i am new to world of fairy-tale retellings, but there seemed to be waay to many stories going on here. it wi started getting really confused. i admit i am new to world of fairy-tale retellings, but there seemed to be waay to many stories going on here. it was really hard for me to keep track of everyone, and because the voice of the story was kind of in keeping with older writings, and heavy on dialect, it was really hard for me to keep going.

i hope to pick it up again when i'm in a more . . . place where i can take the time to piece together the stories. i gave up when the king midas part came up, and muddy annie - this is complex and needs a lot of time, which i just don't have right now. ...more

reading a different edition that weighs a ton - that is my only complaint about this book - it's not easy to bring along on a commute!! but oh, it's breading a different edition that weighs a ton - that is my only complaint about this book - it's not easy to bring along on a commute!! but oh, it's been so long since i've indulged in the russians . . . ...more